Asked Thursday about playing in the Alamo Bowl despite fans’ “lofty expectations” for the Texas program, the 15th-year coach of the Longhorns was blunt.

“I think the proud thing about Texas is we’re at a point where there’s such a high standard that really, unless you win all the games, there’s concern,” Brown said. “The process started three years ago in 2010, a very poor year. There were some changes made … Last year, we really stepped up defensively and did well. I was proud of that.

“I really believe we’re headed in the right way, the right direction.”

In Austin, many fans believe the only “right way,” and the only acceptable path, is toward national championships.

When No. 15 Oregon State meets Texas in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in San Antonio, it will be the Beavers’ biggest bowl game match-up since the 2001 Fiesta Bowl, when OSU thumped Notre Dame, 41-9. Besides the Fighting Irish, OSU has never played such a nationally recognized and marquee program.

4 national championships, but no BCS bowls in last 3 seasons

Texas’ football history is littered with success.

The Longhorns have won four national championships, the most recent coming in 2005, when a Vince Young-led team completed a dramatic comeback in the last minute to beat USC 41-38 in the Rose Bowl. That win completed a perfect 13-0 season for Texas.

The Longhorns also won national titles in 1970, 1969 and 1963. Texas was awarded the UPI national championship in 1970 before the Cotton Bowl against then-No. 6 Notre Dame, a game in which the Longhorns lost 24-11.

Brown has a 149-43 record in his 15 years at Texas, but Longhorn fans would tell you the last few seasons have been unacceptable. Texas has a 21-16 record in the last three years, with no bowl appearance in 2010, a first in the Brown era. Just four seasons ago, Brown led Texas to a 13-1 record and runner-up finish in the national title game (No. 2 Texas lost 37-21 to No. 1 Alabama). To Longhorn fans, it probably feels more like four decades ago.

In the last three seasons the Longhorns have gone 11-15 in the Big 12. In its last 11 games against Top 25 teams, Texas is 1-10. This has led to grumbling from some fans that Brown’s stay in Austin should be over.

After missing the postseason in 2010, Texas rebounded last year with a 21-10 win over California in the Holiday Bowl. 2012 will mark the Longhorns’ second Alamo Bowl appearance: They beat Iowa 26-24 in the 2006 Alamo Bowl.

When Texas found out about its Alamo bid last week, players acknowledged being grateful for the chance to go out on a high note.

“A couple of years ago we didn’t get to do that, so you can’t take these opportunities for granted,” safety Kenny Vaccaro told the Dallas Morning News.

Long runs over many decades

When it comes to running the football, Texas has a storied history.

Ricky Williams was the second, and most recent, Longhorn to win the Heisman.AP

While younger college football fans will gush about Young, one of the most decorated players in Longhorns’ history, older fans probably want to talk about the glory days of Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams.

Campbell (1974-77) was the first Texas player to win the Heisman, in 1977. He finished his career with 4,443 rushing yards, establishing himself as one of the best running backs of all time in the now-defunct Southwest Conference.

Williams played for Texas from 1995-98 and was the second Longhorn to win the Heisman. He still holds the career school rushing record with 6,279 yards.

Texas has 16 players who have rushed for more than 2,000 yards in their careers (Young, a dual-threat quarterback, rushed for 3,127 in three years at Texas.) In comparison, Oregon State has just eight players who have gone over 2,000 yards.

Cedric Benson, who played from 2001-04, is second on the all-time rushing list with 5,540 yards. Campbell, Williams and Benson all won the Doak Walker award, given annually to the nation’s premier running back.

In 2005 behind Young and Jamaal Charles, Texas led the Big 12 in rushing with a 275 yard-per-game average.

But as the Longhorns have struggled the past few years, their ground attack — or lack thereof — might explain why.

This season, without a premier back, Texas finished eighth in Big 12 rushing average at just 148.4 yards per game.

But make no mistake: Even after a season that didn’t live up to the hype (the Longhorns were ranked No. 15 in preseason polls) Texas fans will expect a win over Oregon State.

The Beavers are a 2-point favorite on Dec. 29, but that matters little to those who root for the Longhorns. Brown understands that.

“I’m fortunate to be at a place where the standards are very high,” he said. “We’re going to fight to make sure we get back to those standards. If you ask me if I’m happy with three years of non-BCS games, I would say no. That’s for me (and) everybody else.”